Why is summer a great time to focus on family nutrition? Because it’s much easier to eat healthier in the summer than it is in the winter. Add in all the outdoor time you’re getting and summertime is a great season install a family nutrition program. Use these tips to get started

Family Mealtime – Eat together as a family as often a possible. Research shows that families that eat together have a healthier diet overall than those that don’t. To make mealtime more fun, get everyone involved in the planning and preparation of meals.

Eat Outside – the summertime weather is a great time to get outside. Turn off the TV and leave the phone inside. Gather everyone around the outdoor table and enjoy the great outdoors while you eat.

Use the Grill – Grilling is a great way to serve low-fat, healthy proteins in your diet. Marinate meat in low-fat marinades and use just a little oil to cook it in.

Ditch the soda pop – Healthy family nutrition can easily be achieved by eliminating soft drinks, even the diet ones. Instead provide fresh water, a mix of sparkling water and fruit juice. You’ll see your family’s health improve just by cutting out the calories from those sugary sodas.

Eat Your Veggies -and Fruits – Summertime is nature’s harvest time, so fill the fridge with fresh fruits and vegetables. Serve a healthy green salad at every meal and use substitute cut up veggies and dips for chips and dips as a snack.

summer months to bring the family back together. Sure, the family may be busy but there has been much research done about the benefits of eating together as a family. One of the things researchers found indicates families who eat their meals together generally have a healthier diet than those who do not.

Make a meal plan and stick to it. Get your whole family involved in choosing which meals you’ll eat during the week. Include them in every step of the process – planning, shopping, preparing and serving – so everyone has a say in what the family eats.

Another way to improve your diet during the summer is to turn off everything which could be a distraction during meal time. Turn off the television and let the answering machine catch any calls while you eat. The fewer distractions you have, the less you’re likely to eat and the easier it will be to recognize when you’re full.

Rather than drinking soft drinks, which have been proven not to be a healthy choice, drink plenty of ice water, iced tea and 100% fruit juices. Does this mean you can’t ever have another soft drink? Of course not; however, cutting back on them can help you lose weight, give you more energy and help you remain properly hydrated.

Fill your refrigerator with seasonal fresh fruits and vegetables. Take the extra time to pre-prepare a large salad which you can enjoy for several meals. Cut up celery sticks, carrot sticks and other vegetables to have with healthy dips. You may also want to cut up a refreshing fruit salad which includes your family’s favorite fruits.

Start the grill. As long as the foods you cook on a grill aren’t burnt or look like charcoal, grilling lean meats is a great way to cook during the summer. Any fat in the meat will drop off the meat and that means it won’t go on your hips.

Prepare some of your foods in a crock pot. It will allow you to make a wonderful, healthful meal for your family without heating up your home. Just add the ingredients in the morning, set the temperature and leave it alone. When you return home at the end of the day the meal will be mostly prepared. Toss a quick salad and your family will be able to eat in no time.

These are a few of the top summer nutrition tips for the whole family. There are other things you can do, as well, but you can start with these. You could see results in the way you feel and the way you look before summer is over.

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